Amna Osman – Michigan Public Health Leader and Global Consultant

Three Benefits of Regular Meditation

Experienced public health executive Amna Osman has played important roles in community health and AIDS prevention in both the United States and Ethiopia. Outside of her demanding professional work, Amna Osman enjoys meditation as a calming, beneficial practice.

Everyone knows that meditation can be relaxing, but many people are unaware of the far-reaching benefits of practicing meditation regularly. Meditation imparts three important health benefits.

1. Meditation relieves stress. Stress is an exacerbating factor in many maladies. Everything from heart disease to psoriasis worsens with stress, making it especially important for people with any illness to manage their stress levels.

2. Meditation can have positive impacts on depression and anxiety. Comprehensive studies conducted in 2012 and 2014 found that people who engage in meditation reduce symptoms associated with anxiety or depression by a moderate amount. People who live with chronic insomnia can also improve their sleep through a specific type of meditation: mindfulness-based therapy for insomnia.

3. Since mediation centers on reining in “monkey mind” and focusing on the true nature of mind, it can improve concentration and attention in just a couple of weeks. Adults who meditate even score higher on standardized tests compared to their non-meditating peers.